Almost never on install. I don't use smoke when putting them in the hive--they aren't protecting anything because they don't have a home or a queen yet so they are very docile. I actually hardly ever wear gloves for install either, but I didn't want people to panic, so I wore them for the video.
When working on the hive at other times, once they are established, I always use my hood, gloves, and definitely smoke. The smoke masks the stings pheromone so if one bee does sting you or your clothes, the other bees don't come swarming over to sting as well. It also causes the bees to gorge on honey in the expectation they will have to abandon the hive and that distends their abdomen, making it harder for them to curl into the stinging position.
You are viewing a single comment's thread from:
There is more to all this than I realized. Thanks.